Nairobi, July 5:

Kenyan police said they were searching for two men suspected of beating to death a fan of Brazil’s World Cup team after the reigning football champion’s weekend loss to France.

The 21-year-old Brazilian died after being savagely attacked by the France-supporting suspects who allegedly chided and ridiculed the victim when the Brazil lost to the French on Saturday, police said.

The three had been watching the match at a video shop in a remote village in Kenya when they began to fight over Brazil’s loss and the altercation spread into the street, they said.

The victim, Austin Ochieng Okello, was beaten unconcious and left on a footpath but then managed to stagger to a nearby home in Siaya village where he was found dead on Sunday, police said, citing witness accounts.

Siaya district deputy police chief Charles Gathiari said the assailants, who fled the scene but are known to villagers, would be captured and charged with murder.

“We have dispatched a team to track them down with the help of the villagers,” he said. “They are known people and hopefully within two to three days they will be arrested.”